


the one with violets in her lap

by iphigenias



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Hiking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 07:23:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14208093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iphigenias/pseuds/iphigenias
Summary: Izzy’s really not an outdoorsy type of person, and doesn’t usually associate with people who are, unless they’re her brother. But taking in Clary’s slim frame, heart-shaped face, and scrunched eyes as she smiles, all tucked into a family friendly Lara Croft cosplay—well, let it be known that Isabelle Lightwood, now and forever, officially loves the great outdoors.





	the one with violets in her lap

**Author's Note:**

> title is from sappho. alternative titles for this fic include:  
> \- snake on me (snake me on)  
> \- save a horse, ride a cowgirl  
> \- is that a snake in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
> 
> major trigger warning for snakes and alec's sarcasm

The great outdoors really isn’t Izzy’s thing. Of course she likes the idea of it, the peace and tranquillity of being out of the city and away from the crowds, her job, that annoying neighbour who lets his dog bark all hours of the night. And she’s a big fan of flowers, the kind that come wrapped up neat in a ribbon and all she has to do to look after them is chop their stems every now and again. But the reality of it, the mosquito-infested, leaves-in-her-hair, sun-scorched reality of it? Well, it kind of sucks. But never let it be said that Izzy isn’t a good sister. In fact, let it be said that she’s the _best_ sister (never mind the fact she’s the only daughter in the family).

“Why did I agree to this again?” she asks, shaking her boot to unsnag a branch from the laces.

“Because you love me,” Alec says, the words not a question, and Izzy rolls her eyes. He’s right of course. Sometimes, your brother gets dumped and you agree to go hiking to take his mind off it.

 _I am a good sister,_ Izzy says to herself, heaving her backpack into a more comfortable position. Out loud, she says: “Raj never deserved you,” because that’s the kind of positivity-reinforcing, motivational sister she is.

“Yeah, well,” Alec says, like he always does. Raj was his first boyfriend since he came out in college, and Izzy knows how bad a wound like that can sting when it’s fresh. “He was kind of a dick,” Alec concedes.

“Damn right.” They continue along in silence for a while—or as silent as two Lightwoods in the bush can be, when Alec is six foot ridiculous and Izzy can’t go two steps without having to detach something green and leafy (and, God forbid, _wriggling_ ) from her hair. “Where did you say we were meeting your friend again?”

“At the lookout,” Alec says. “She lives on the other side of the city so she used the track closest to her apartment.”

Izzy huffs out a breath. Okay, so she might not exactly be in hiking shape. “And how do you know her again?”

“We took that creative writing class together in sophomore year,” Alec says, smiling. “I hated her at first, but we bonded over our mutual crushes on our roommates.”

“And did hers turn out as badly as yours?” Izzy asks.

Alec laughs. “God no. Maia’s a hundred times nicer than Raj, but she and Clary were better off as friends. She works at some fancy marine biology institute now, actually. I haven’t seen her in forever.”

Izzy perks up. “So she was a science girl? Huh, I like her already.”

“Well keep your judgy science opinions to yourself with Clary, yeah? She’s a proper artist and everything.”

“So, she’s a barista with a bachelor’s degree?”

Alec rolls her eyes. “Yes, she is, but she actually also works for the park. Does tours on the weekend and during the holidays, that sort of thing.”

“Huh.” Izzy runs out of breath to ask any more questions. Soon enough, they pass a sign for the lookout and Alec hooks left, Izzy following. It’s only a minute or so before the thick bushland around them gives way to open space, and Izzy could almost collapse with relief (at least, until she remembers they still have a whole hike with this girl Clary ahead of them).

The lookout is small, an elbow-height black railing perched on top of the rocky outcrop and offering lovely, if modest, views of the surrounding parklands, a view only slightly obstructed by the presence of a girl leaning against the railing, her back to Izzy and Alec. She certainly looks the part: thick socks tucked into worn green hiking boots, sensible shorts and green button up, a medium-sized backpack resting high up on her shoulders and the glimpse of a red ponytail pulled through the back of a Yankees cap. It’s only when Alec calls out a name and apologises for running late that Izzy realises that this must be Clary, and it’s only when the girl in question turns around to face them, directing her beaming smile their way, that Izzy realises _oh, shit, she’s hot._

It’s already been established that Izzy’s really not an outdoorsy type of person, and doesn’t usually associate with people who are, unless they’re her brother. But taking in Clary’s slim frame, heart-shaped face, and scrunched eyes as she smiles, all tucked into a family friendly Lara Croft cosplay—well, let it be known that Isabelle Lightwood, now and forever, officially loves the great outdoors.

“Hey, you must be Izzy,” Clary says after greeting Alec, sticking out her hand. Izzy smiles back and shakes it.

“And you must be Clary,” she replies. “It’s so nice to find out my brother actually has friends and isn’t a recluse.”

“ _Hey_ ,” Alec says, making Izzy roll her eyes.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it,” Clary laughs. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Alec talks about you all the time.”

“He does?” Izzy grins.

“Yeah, in a _this is what my annoying little sister did today_ kind of way,” Alec mutters.

“I love you too, _hermano_ ,” Izzy says, pinching his arm and making him scowl. “What are we waiting for anyway? I’ve been looking forward to this hike for days.”

“You have?” Clary and Alec say simultaneously, Clary happily, Alec incredulously. Izzy shoots her brother a glare when Clary isn’t looking.

“Of course! I love the outdoors. It’s so nice to get away from the city for a while.”

“It really is,” Clary says as they start walking. “I’m out here every weekend for the tours, but sometimes I come out for a morning hike before work, the atmosphere is so nice. And the sunrises are stunning.”

“I can imagine,” Izzy says. “Alec said you’re an artist?”

Clary blushes a little bit, though it’s hard to make out in the dappled light of the bush. “Well, it’s more of a hobby at the moment until I can hire out an exhibition space, but yeah, I am. My friend Simon and I are working on a graphic novel together at the moment, actually.”

“That sounds amazing,” Izzy says appreciatively. Behind them, she can hear Alec muttering under his breath. She shoots him a dazzling smile over her shoulder.

“You’re a forensic pathologist, right? Alec always gushes about it,” Clary says.

“I am, though there’s not much to gush about dead bodies,” Izzy says with a laugh. “And I’m only an intern anyway. Need a few more years of experience before I get attached to my own precinct.”

“Still, that’s amazing,” Clary says. “I never had a head for science, but my ex, Maia—she’s super into marine biology. Sends me all these cute pics of animals she works with, look.” Clary digs out her phone and opens the gallery for Izzy to flick through photos as they walk.

“Awww,” Izzy says when she gets to a dolphin who looks like they’re smiling. “Alec, look at this!”

Alec peers over her shoulder at the phone. “Cute,” he says in his deadpan voice, but Izzy can tell he’s trying not to smile.

They continue on the winding path, Izzy steeling herself not to flinch at anything that brushes up against her. She can almost _feel_ Alec silently laughing behind them when she forces herself to nonchalantly flick a baby spider off her arm.

“Wow, Iz, if I knew you liked hiking so much I would’ve invited you to come along more often,” Alec says. Izzy wonders how long it would take the cops to find his body out here.

“Yeah, well, I’m always so busy in the city,” she replies.

“That’s such a shame,” Clary says. “Next time you’re free you should definitely come along again with Alec and me. You could even join one of my tours, you don’t work every weekend, do you?”

“She has every second weekend off,” Alec supplies for her. Izzy grits her teeth.

“That’s perfect!” Clary says. “We could maybe even make it a regular thing. I always love having company who aren’t children under ten on my tours.”

“Sounds great,” Izzy forces herself to say. Alec is a dead man.

Another ten minutes sees them at the middle of the trail loop. There’s a clearing a few metres off the path which both Alec and Clary seem to know well, and when they emerge into it, Izzy loses her breath for a moment at the sight of a small waterfall feeding into a shallow stream.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Clary says with a sigh, and Izzy can’t help but agree. “Let’s have lunch here.”

They arrange themselves on the ground, Izzy glad for once that she’s wearing full-length leggings. She and Alec brought sandwiches and fruit juice in plastic cups, while Clary unearths a Tupperware of salad and some chocolate from her pack. It’s a veritable feast, and Izzy finds herself starving after that uphill hike.

They’re about halfway through their meal when it happens. Clary is chatting animatedly to Izzy about her artwork, and Alec is starting to pack the rubbish into his backpack, when they both freeze, eyes on something over Izzy’s shoulder.

“Iz, don’t move,” Alec says, very evenly and very quietly. Izzy’s heart ratchets into overdrive but she does what he says.

“What is it?” she asks, voice shaking slightly.

Clary turns her head slowly to meet Izzy’s eyes. “It’s okay, Izzy. Just stay calm, okay?”

“What is it?” she says again, and sees Alec shake his head minutely at Clary. “Don’t _coddle_ me, Alec, tell me what it is!”

“Just calm down, Iz,” Alec says soothingly. “It’s a snake, okay? Just looks like a milk snake, so there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”

“Alec,” Clary says. “Look at the bands. Red and yellow adjacent.”

Alec lets out a shaky breath and Izzy closes her eyes. “Oh, God. It’s poisonous, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Alec says, voice back to calm, and Izzy’s heart feels like it’s going to beat out of her chest. “Coral snake. But there’s nothing to worry about, just relax, Iz. It won’t move if you don’t, so just relax.”

Izzy tries to control her breathing, but she keeps her eyes closed.

“Okay,” Alec says after a moment. “It’s moving away. Iz, I want you to stand up, okay? Real slow.”

“I can’t.” Izzy feels paralysed, and she hates it. She hates being powerless. “God, I can’t, I can’t, I hate hiking, why did I let you talk me into this?”

“Because you love me, remember?” Alec says soothingly. “ _Hermana_.”

Izzy takes a deep breath. Slowly, she shifts her weight from her backside to her knees. “That’s great, you’re doing great, Izzy,” Clary says, her voice soft. Izzy feels a small hand nestle into hers, interlocking their fingers, and the sensation makes her open her eyes. Clary is there, right in front of her, smiling and blocking everything else from Izzy’s vision. “Come on, a bit more,” Clary says, and Izzy shifts her weight from her knees to her ankles, to her feet. Slowly, not taking her eyes off Clary, she stands, Clary rising with her. “Now back toward the path, real slow, just like that, yeah.”

After what feels like years, Izzy’s feet find themselves back on the dirt path. She almost collapses with relief. “Oh my God. Oh my God,” she says, taking her backpack from Alec with shaking hands and shrugging it on. “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Are you kidding?” Alec says. “That was crazy brave, Iz.”

“It was amazing,” Clary says, smiling. “ _I_ feel like an idiot for putting you in that situation. I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Izzy wipes her cheeks. “I’m sorry for lying about liking the outdoors. I… actually kind of hate it. I only said that to impress you.”

Clary’s grin, if possible, becomes even wider. “Are you serious? That’s like, the most amazing thing anyone’s done to make me like them.”

Izzy laughs and it sounds less tremulous than she thought it would. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Clary says, taking her hand again like it’s nothing, like it’s something they do all the time outside of life-threatening situations. “Now come on. I know this is my job and everything, but I could seriously use some urban infrastructure.”

When Izzy laughs again, she sounds like herself. She looks at Clary and can’t stop smiling.

“Not that this isn’t sweet or anything,” Alec interrupts, “But I did just break up with my boyfriend. A little sympathy, maybe?”

“And I just escaped almost certain death,” Izzy retorts.

“Hey, I wouldn’t call that almost certain. Maybe… seventy percent certain death.”

“I’d go sixty,” Clary says. “Corals are pretty non-aggressive.”

“And _I’d_ like you guys to stop ganging up on me,” Izzy says, pulling her hand from Clary’s grip and flouncing down the trail. “Remind me never to come hiking with you two again.”

“You know,” Izzy hears Clary say to Alec from behind her, “She really reminds me of my friend Magnus. I think you’d like him.” Alec makes an interested noise but before he can answer Clary has skipped ahead to join Izzy.

“Sorry,” she says sheepishly. “For the teasing, and especially for the hike. Maybe…” She tucks a loose strand of flame-red hair back under her cap. “Maybe next time we can do something you like? Any ideas?”

“Trust me,” Izzy says, taking Clary’s hand again because she really would be an idiot not to, “I have plenty.”


End file.
